Page 152 of Challenge Me

“I need someone to pull out their phone,” I called loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“Amir,” Remi scolded. “What are—”

“Somebody had better record this moment, because this is the day when Remi Keane first admitted that he loves me.”

A few people whooped, but he was frowning. “We shouldn’t be making a scene.”

“Oh, we absolutely should be. This is our story, Remi. The world can see us happy and real for today.”

He smiled, letting go of his tension. “Look at that. Somewhere deep down, you’re a crazy bastard.”

“I’m covering a round for everyone,” I announced before I kissed him hard.

“You guys owe me a lot of money,” Mal said.

Pulling back, Remi raised a brow at her. “A little late on that one.”

“Not the swears.”

“Then why?”

She stuck her finger in her mouth to mime a gag. Both of us laughed, and even Tommy cracked a smile.

Chapter 41

Remi

I sought no crown, no warrior’s fame,

Just silence for my name.

But silence burns when ghosts return,

And drag me through the flame.

“I don’t like smoothies,” Mal repeated for the third time.

“Cool story, bro. You’ll like this one.”

She let out a frustrated sound and crossed her arms. It reminded me that she was a nine-year-old little shit, even when she acted like a grumpy old man sometimes. Slinging my arm over her shoulders, I guided her into the shop.

“Oh, yeah. This is my buddy, Oli.”

Oli walked forward slowly, though I knew that he was dying to leap like a damn frog if I’d allow it. The excitement was written all over his face. Dropping into a crouch, he made himself smaller than her.

“Hey, Mal. I’ve heard so much about you.”

When she didn’t respond, his eyes flicked up to me. There wasn’t an ounce of trepidation there, nor was he at all bothered by her silence. If anything, he was probably ecstatic that he had a nut to crack. Give this man someone to figure out and he’d be as occupied as a raccoon in a dumpster buffet.

“If I tell you an embarrassing story about Remi, will you say just one word to me?”

She twisted her lips as she thought about it, then lifted her shoulders.

“Hmm, I guess I’ll do it anyway.” He straightened and shot me a grin. “Okay, so picture this. Remi, right? Weird, awkward as heck Remi, back when he was a teenager. We were living in this house together and our foster parents sort of disappeared. Poof! Gone with no trace.”

Mal blinked slowly as Oli talked. I wasn’t sure if she was absorbing or actually dying inside. While he told the story, I ordered us three drinks.

“So, we’d gone, like, a full day without food,” he continued. “He was, what, fifteen, Rem?” I nodded. “I was twelve, almost thirteen. We’re two years and two months apart, by the way. Anyway, he decided to make us pancakes. He’d never made pancakes in his life, but he got it in his head that he could do it, and there wasn’t really any food in the house because those people were no-good check collectors.”